Neo Genesis
by Marlode
Summary: The Soul Society became a prison from which Renji needed to escape. A new dimension offered him a way out. Ichigo, Rukia and Seretei search for him. Yet not only does an adventure wait for Abarai, but for the whole of Soul Society. A war is coming. RenIch


**Chapter One**

He was never the hero.

Despite attempting his best, the stray dog could never seem to win.

Seretei reminded him of his incompetence.

The only good thing about him was his loyalty, and he hated himself for allowing that to sway due to self doubts.

'_It's just my jealousy over others' success. Stop being an idiot, Renji. This'll pass.'_

But it had stayed with him.

The self doubt wasn't leaving.

Hate grew, and he could feel it sinking into his bones.

He hated himself.

Change was needed.

He needed to do something before he began to hate his friends.

'_I need to leave'._

But leaving Seretei was a crime in itself, a crime punishable by death.

'_I would rather die than allow my loyalty to become twisted.'_

Maybe he would be better off dead anyway.

What good is a stray dog to a sea of stars?

Renji cringed as he felt Ichigo's spiritual pressure approaching until the teen announced himself with a slide of the door.

"Yo Renji, what're you moping in here for? Rukia and I were looking for you at the party but you were a no show."

Renji opened his mouth and bared white teeth into his normal grin, "Sorry Ichigo, my stomach hurts from all the Teriyaki I ate for lunch. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

'_Get out of my sight you orange haired kid.'_

Ichigo shrugged, "Alright, hope you feel better. I'll tell Rukia. Night!"

Abarai continued with his grin, "Night."

With a crack of the doorframe, the substitute shinigami was gone.

Kurosaki was staying in the Kuchiki mansion for tonight. The substitute had been called in for a surprise celebration in his honor. Ukitake and a few other captains had thought it would be a good idea to host a party for Ichigo's return from losing his powers.

People couldn't stop talking about how the kid had kicked ass and was just freaking amazing.

'_I can deal with this world for just a few more hours.'_

And then Renji Abarai would escape Soul Society. He would escape to destroy his hate.

There were plenty of other dimensions, and if he didn't get stronger and find his way back, then he didn't deserve to resurface in Seretei.

The hours passed slowly.

One.

Two.

Ten minutes before midnight.

Renji took out his hair tie with his right hand, and shrugged off his lieutenant badge on his left arm.

Abarai opened the front bow of the hakama and untangled the front straps from the obi. Undressing slowly, Renji rid himself of the Soul Reaper uniform: all of his burdens and accomplishments in this spiritual realm would be left behind.

He would create a Renji he could be proud of.

It all came down to pride.

Pride you have for yourself and pride that others have for you.

He was tense. But that was to be expected.

Burgundy eyes narrowed and muscles rippled under obsidian tattoos and tanned skin as Renji stretched to slide into a tight fitting, dark green kimono.

After making all the necessary adjustments, the soul reaper extended his arm to grab Zabimaru, his fingers brushing the crimson hilt.

"Renji," his sword spoke, "are you sure about this?"

"It's been a long time coming, Zabs. You know it."

"Stop smiling at me like that. It's not like you to be so somber."

Abarai rolled his eyes at Zabimaru. He knew that his zanpakuto would back him up, no matter the current events.

Renji blew out the lanterns adorning the interior of his quarters as he made his way out the back door.

Upon stepping outside, Renji deigned to gaze upon the Seretei moon and stars. No matter how beautiful they are, they had always taunted him with their perfection.

No more.

Silver light curved through the stretch of water behind Abarai's living quarters and the night air breathed deeply, gifting the departing shinigami with its own farewell.

Zabimaru spoke quietly, "Are you ready?"

Renji cut the night with his zanpakuto, making a rift to an unknowable destination.

If he squinted he could see rolling green hills.

He hoped that the green was acid and not gentle foliage. He needed fights, not flowers.

"Any day now."

"Sorry Zabimaru, give me a second."

Renji turned to face the outline of Seretei in all its night-lit glory, hair swinging as he gave a slight wave, "See you."

Then Renji spun into a vault that launched him into the rift.

'_Here I go.' _

Ichigo Kurosaki shot up in bed.

He rolled out quickly, untangling the sheets from his legs and bending to pull on his crumpled uniform from the floor.

Alarms were ringing in Seretei.

"Ichigo!"

"Rukia! What's going on?"

Rukia looked slightly panicked as here brows creased and her mouth tightened.

"It's Renji, Ichigo. Renji's gone, he left to another dimension."

Kurosaki sighed, "Oh. Well that's not bad. So why are they ringing the alarms?"

The tiny Kuchiki balled her fists, "That's what I'm telling you baka! Renji left to another dimension, one outside of Seretei jurisdiction, but not outside of our access. He's broken the law, Ichigo. A soul reaper cannot abandon his duties like this, it's punishable by death!"

"How do they know he didn't just leave to take a piss or something?"

"Because he left his lieutenant badge and his uniform. He's abandoned his position."

"Maybe he left to go sleep-"

"That's not it. He went to a dimension that we aren't supposed to go to. It's like crossing a blocked border. Shinigami aren't allowed to go there. We can access it but it's as if he's going AWOL. Anyone who leaves like that is, in Seretei's eyes, making a run for it, and Renji knows that. Yet he still did it. One cannot just stop being a soul reaper, the only way they can do that is if given special permission or if they die. Renji's case is not applicable to either of those."

"Why wouldn't he tell us that he was leaving?"

"I don't know."

The two stood in silence, the noise of sirens blotted out by their own thoughts.

"Rukia, are they going to try to kill Renji?"

"Yes."

"We have to go find him.

The Kuchiki nodded hesitantly.

Ichigo began to turn around, "Alright, let's go."

"Wait."

"What?"

"What if he doesn't want to be found?"

Ichigo stopped in mid-stride.

"...I hadn't really thought about that."

"Ichigo, this is Renji's decision. I doubt that he would leave permanently. We need to be patient, and whether he's dragged back here or whether he shows up of his own free will, we need to wait."

"What's with the sudden change in attitude?"

Rukia looked up with a sad yet determined gaze, "I panicked. But I realize that we need to trust Renji. He must have his reasons. If he wanted us to go with him then he would have told us. But he didn't tell us, so we have to respect that."

"But if they find Renji..."

"Then we'll help him."

Ichigo's frown deepened.

"Okay. But if they pinpoint where he is we're going after him."

"Fine."

The sirens continued to blare with the loudspeaker announcing, "All captains report, rogue lieutenant status in effect, all captains report!"

Ichigo walked up to his room's balcony with Rukia following.

The sirens finally halted a little while later.

Rukia and Ichigo leaned over the railing, subconsciously reaching out their reiatsu to detect Renji's.

This was not going to be an easy wait.

**Thank you for reading! **

**There will be some guyxguy later on in here, so if you like, stay, and if you don't, please do not read any further. **

**I really appreciate all of you. **

**I hope that you enjoyed this first part!**


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